Mixed Methods Design of Flexible Datasets for Sharing: The Case of the Video Collaboratory

We contribute to the field of mixed methods design by proposing a model for data sharing that conceptualizes dataset flexibility as a designable property shaped by cinematic (data collection) and editorial design decisions (data curation). The flexibility of a dataset is constituted by its dimensions (e.g., multidisciplinarity, multimodality, multitemporality, and multilevel) and structure which together condition researchers’ options for data transformation, emergence, and integration. We develop and illustrate the model through a large-scale video collaboratory, where 28 international research teams analyzed a shared, video-based dataset of professional design activity. We reflect on ethical implications, and outline opportunities and challenges for integration within and across research teams.